Miami
University
REPORT of
the President
to His Excellency the
Governor of the Com-
monwealth of Ohio
1
REPORT
OF THE
President of Miami University
TO
HIS EXCELLENCY
THE
Governor of the Commonwealth of Ohio.
Columbus, Ohio:
F. J. Heer, State Printer.
1908.
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2013
http://archive.org/details/annualreportsofp607miam
ANNUAL REPORT.
To His Excellency, Honorable Andrew L. Harris, Governor of Ohio,
Columbus.
My Dear Sir : — In accordance with law, I have the honor to sub-
mit to you the eighty-third annual report of Miami University, to which
is hereto attached the report of the Secretary of the Board of Trustees.
This Institution had its origin in an Act of Congress, passed May
5th, 1792, which provided for the establishment of an institution of higher
learning in the John Cleves Symmes purchase. By a subsequent Act of
Congress, passed March 14th, 1803, the Legislature of Ohio was author-
ized to enter one complete township west of the Big Miami, in lieu of
the original township within the Symmes purchase, and the trust was
vested in the Legislature of Ohio to be held forever for the purposes of
education, as set forth in the several articles, and for no other purpose
whatsoever. Six weeks later, the State of Ohio, on April 15th, 1803, in
accepting the trust from the Federal Government, passed an article en-
titled : "An Act to Provide for the Locating of a College Township in
the District of Cincinnati." Under this act, the lands of Miami University
were Located February 17, 1809, and the Legislature of Ohio passed an
Act entitled : "An Act to establish Miami University." A commission of
three had been appointed to locate the institution. This commission re-
ported to the Legislature, recommending that the University be located
at Lebanon, in Warren County. The General Assembly refused to ac-
cept this report of its commission, and, taking the matter into its own
hands, designated Oxford Township, in Butler County, as the seat of the
institution about to be established ; and the President and the Board of
Trustees were constituted a body politic and corporate. From that day
to this, Miami University has been controlled by the State of Ohio. For
nearly fifty years its trustees were appointed by the Legislature, since
which time, these officials have been appointed* by the Governor of the
State of Ohio, by and with the consent and advice of the State Senate.
Miami University is one of the oldest state universities in America
and has made invaluable contribution to the civilization of the common-
wealth and the republic. It is difficult to conceive of a better location for
an institution of higher learning. With the single exception of the city
University of Cincinnati, Miami Universiay is quite alone as an institution
of higher learning in Southwestern Ohio. To the south and east of us
are the great manufacturing sections and numerous prosperous cities;
while to the north of us are the rich farming sections of the Great Miami
3
4 ANNUAL REPORT
Valley. Miami University thus brings to the front doors of the sons
and daughters of the laborers, the farmers, the manufacturers, and the
professional people of this unrivalled section of our state practically their
only opportunity for a higher education. The representatives in our
student body of these different classes, all fired with the same lofty am-
bition, are a levelling influence, one upon the other, that will do much in
the formation of the virile democratic spirit in the years to come.
For nearly a century, with very meagre support from the State of
Ohio, Miami University has been doing its great work, and the year just
passed shows that the Institution has been more largely patronized than
ever before by young people seeking the education it offers. The total
attendance, representing nearly every section of the State, for the cata-
logue year ending February 28th, 1907, was one thousand, one hundred
and forty-nine. The Ohio State Normal College, during the regular and
summer sessions, has given to those engaged in the great work of teach-
ing our children in the public schools, the advantages of advanced pro-
fessional training, the value of which can hardly be overestimated.
With these increasing numbers, comes' the demand for increased fa-
cilities to carry forward our work. By an act of the General Assem-
bly, passed in 1906, an educational policy was established in Ohio, pro-
viding for the continued maintenance of Miami University as a College
of Liberal Arts, and as a Normal College. By the provisions of this act,
the College of Liberal Arts is guaranteed an income for maintenance of
two and one-half hundredths of a mill on the tax duplicate of the State of
Ohio, and the Normal College is granted similarly one one-hundreth
of a mill for its support. This act further provides that nothing in this
action shall be construed as preventing our Normal. College "from se-
curing such additional appropriations as the General Assembly in its
wisdom may deem fit to make from time to time for the support, main-
tenance, and equipment of said Normal School." Another provision of
this act declares, in reference to the College of Liberal Arts, that "this
shall not be so construed as to prevent such appropriations by the Gen-
eral Assembly from time to time, as may be necessary, for apparatus for
university purposes, exclusive of buildings." It is clear, therefore that
the College of Liberal Arts, under this new law, can not ask the General
Assembly for new buildings, but that it is allowed the privilege of call-
ing on this body for. such appropriations as may be needed to purchase
apparatus, and apparatus, on the authority of Webster's International
Dictionary are "things provided as means to some end." It is fair to
conclude, therefore, that whatever is needed aside from new buildings,
in addition to the amount realized by the tax levy, to provide the neces-
sary facilities for properly prosecuting the work of the College of Lib-
oral Arts may be legitimately requested of our law-makers. The Normal
College has no restriction whatever placed upon it, either in the grant-
ing of now buildings or of support.
MIAMI UNIVERSITY. 5
A very modest estimate of our needs, in addition to the amount af-
forded the Institution under the tax levy, are the following:
1. Furniture $5,000 00
2. Library Books and Supplies 5,000 00
3. x Department of Physics 1,000 00
4. Department of Chemistry. 2 ,500 00
5. Department of Biology 500 00
6. Department of Botany and Bacteriology 1,000 00
7. Care of Grounds and Buildings 4,500 00
8. Maintenance of the Normal College 28,000 00
9. Normal College Building 150,000 00
10. Normal College Dormitory 75,000 00
11. Sewage Connections 10,000 00
$282,500 00
There will hardly be any question as to the first seven items in these
requirements, which are for the support of the College of Liberal Arts.
In regard to the twenty-eight thousand dollars asked for the main-
tenance of the Normal College, it will be remembered that the Normal
College of Miami University receives but one one-hundredth of a mill,
which is one one-half hundredth of a mill less than that granted to the
Normal College of Ohio University. The one one-hundredth of a mill,
on an estimated valuation of the. taxable property of the State of Ohio of
two billion two hundred millions dollars, will yield us for the support of
the Normal College twenty-two thousand dollars. We shall need the
twenty-eight thousand dollars asked for in the general appropriation bill,
in addition to this amount, and it will hardly be denied by those who are
familiar with the requirements of Normal College training, that fifty
thousand dollars is a small sum for this great work. The need of a Nor-
mal College building is imperative, if the teachers of our state are to
have the training they need to teach intelligently the children in our pub-
lic schools. One hundred and fifty thousand dollars is a modest sum for
a building of this sort, and is less than half the amount used by other
states in the construction of buildings for similar purposes. The Normal
College Dormitory is absolutely necessary for the proper housing of our
young lady students. It has been repeatedly declared that Ohio has been
behind other states in providing professional training for her teachers,
and now that the work has finally been undertaken, we cannot afford to
have it any poorer than the best.
In reference to the appropriation for sewage connection, it ought to
be said that the State Board of Health has condemned the present pri-
vate sewage disposal plant of Miami University, and that this amount
will be required to connect the Institution with the sewage system of the
town of Oxford, thus guaranteeing to us safe, sanitary conditions.
Trusting that you will recommend these appropriations to the favor-
6 ANNUAL REPORT
able consideration of the approaching session of the General Assembly of
the State of Ohio, I have the honor to subscribe myself,
Your obedient servant,
Guy Potter Benton,
President of Miami University.
Executive Offices,
Miami University,
Oxford Ohio, November 30th, 1907.
MIAMI UNIVERSITY. 7
FINANCIAL STATEMENT YEAR ENDING NOVEMBER 15. 1907.
RECEIPTS.
State of Ohio — Regular Appropriation $48,616 40
State of Ohio — Normal College Appropriation 19,731 41
State of Ohio Maintenance Appropriation 9,355 03
$77,702 84
Rentals and Penalty thereon $5,876 50
Incidental Fees $7 , 815 50
Special Fees 2,672 94
Room Rents 6,538 40
$17,026 84
Interest 27 16
Sundries 61 81
State of Ohio — Appropriation for Heating Plant $19,436 85
State of Ohio — Appropriation for Lighting Plant 5,510 00
State of Ohio — Appropriation for Auditorium 26,472 21
$51,419 06
Sundry Deposits by Students 63 00
Total $152, 177 21
Which funds have been deposited as follows :
Oxford National Bank $150,508 03
Cincinnati Trust Co. . 3% interest 1 , 669 18
G. A. McSurely. Treasurer.
DISBURSEMENTS.
Salaries of President and Faculty $58,090 00
Salaries Administrative 4,825 00
Salaries Engineer and Janitors 3,865 00
■ $66,780 00
Building Repairs and Supplies $3,898 65
Coal 3,096 28
Commencement Expense 704 00
Electric Light 1,328 07
Care of Grounds 1,743 72
Incidentals 1 , 264 25
"Miami Student" 200 00
Medical Examiner 200 00
Library 1 , 264 82
Model School 776 15
Printing and Advertising 0,417 31
Summer School 6 , 937 59
Taxes and Insurance 616 70
Trustees' Mileage and per Diem 454 80
University Inn 208 11
Special Teachers' Term 150 < 00
Incidentals— Normal College 2,283 64
Hepburn Hall — Entertainments and Repairs 538 24
President's Contingent Fund 1 , 971 67
President's Traveling Expense 910 95
Dean Normal College Traveling Expense 197 81
8 ANNUAL REPORT
Alumni Secretary's Traveling Expense 394 75
Water 796 30
Library Committee 56 05
$36,409 «6
Construction of Heating Plant '. $19,280 55
Construction of Lighting Plant 5,510 00
Construction of Auditorium 26,472 21
• $51,262 76
Department of Agriculture $277 14
Department of Athletics 647 15
Department of Biology 288 16
Department of Botany 619 12
Department of Chemistry 2,074 07
Department of Geology 83 00
Department of Gymnasium 224 80
Department of Manual Training 1,044 55
Department of Mathematics 115 00
Department of Music 641 61
Department of Natural History 493 21
Department of Physics 1,278 10
Department of Training 124 74
Department of Practice and Observation School 294 06
Department of Normal Mathematics 61 24
$8,266 85
Total $162,719 47
Geo. S. Bishop, Secretary.
Fixed Assets and Liabilities —
Irreducible Stock in Lands and Lots $104,747 98
Real Estate and Buildings ' 392,300 00
Furniture and Equipment. . . 117,871 34
Permanent Investment $614,919 32
Current Assets and Liabilities —
Due from State of Ohio — Regular Appropriation... £25,436 63
Due from State of Ohio — Normal College Appro-
priation 11,69184
Due from State of Ohio — Special Appropriations 42,695 79
Bills Receivable 3,051 02
Cash on Deposit Oxford National Bank 1,553 28
Cash on Deposit Cincinnati Trust Co., 3% interest.. 1,669 18
Cash on Deposit Certificate Oxford National Bank.. 7,963 13
Cash on Deposit Oxford Building & Loan Associa-
tion. President's Cash Fund, Bishop Prize
Fund 478 27
Cash on Deposit Treasurer's Cash Fund 50 00
Chemistry Breakage Deposits 465 03
Key Deposits 63 00
Board Public Affairs, Oxford, Ohio 455 35
Stock of Hooven, Owen, Rentschler Co 500 00
Income Accounts —
Land and Lot Rentals $2,580 45
Incidental Fees 3,594 00
.\. lAAli UNIVERSITY. 9
Room Rent Hepburn Hall 1,849 50
Room Rem Men's Dormitories 950 ')U
Speeial Fees Biology 77 00
Speeial Fees Botany 81 00
Speeial Fees Chemistry -'500 00
Speeial F( e> Dipl< mas 272 00
Special Fees Manual Training 1 25
Speeial Fees Physics 14 00
Special Fees Registration 89 25
.A 1 iscellaneous Income 22 05
Funds and Appropriations —
General Fund . 3,830 53
Normal College Fund 31,269 16
Library Endowment Fund 7 , 963 1*3
Bishop Prize Fund 478 27
McFarland Prize Fund 502 50
Appropriation for Salaries of President and Faculty 42,031 66
Appropriation Administrative Salaries 2,916 66
Appropriation Engineers and Janitors 2,575 00
Building Repairs and Supplies 257 58
Coal 1,392 89
Commencement Expense 92 45
Electric Light 903 67
Care of Grounds 57 15
Incidentals 109 '30
"Miami Student" 200 00
Medical Examiner 200 00-
Library 1,211 U
Model School 973 85
Printing and Advertising 621 76
Summer School 41
Taxes and Insurance 191 1 1
Trustees' Mileage and per Diem 145 20
Incidentals — Normal College 715 77
Hepburn Hall — Entertainments and Repairs 585 73
Isolation Hospital 100 00'
President's Contingent Fund > 867 16
President's Traveling Expense 491 03
Dean Normal College Traveling Expense 230 C6
Alumni Secretary's Traveling Expense 259 16
Department of Agriculture 222 8&
Department of Athletics 618 80
Department of Biology 205 50
Department of Botany '. 330 02
Department of Chemistry 620 89
Department of Geology 117 00
Department of Gymnasium 294 48
Department of German 75 00
Department of Manual Training 48 34
Department of Mathematics 172 50
Department of Music 258 39
Department of Natural History 99 98
10 ANNUAL REPORT
Department of Physics (JIG 22
Department of Training 175 99
Construction of Heating and Lighting Plant 4,161 dO
Construction of Auditorium 38,527 79
Totals $741,732 97 $741,732 97
FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF MIAMI UNIVERSITY FOR THE YEAR
ENDING NOVEMBER 15th, 1907.
Received from : —
Rents on Lands $5 , 876 50
Fees from Students 19,488 44
Room Rents 6,538 40
Sundries 151 97
State of Ohio : —
Regular M. U. Levy $48,616 40
Regular Normal Levy 19,73141
''Maintenance" Appropriation 9,355 03
$77,702 84
Heating Plant $19,436 85
Lighting Plant 5,510 00
Auditorium 26,472 21
51,419 06
$152,177 21
Balance November 15, 1906 13,814 72
Total to be accounted for $165,991 93
Paid out : —
Salaries —
President and Faculty $58,090 00
Administration 4,825 00
Engineers and Janitors 3,865 00
Maintenance (Items in detail given in other report). 36,409 86
Construction of Buildings —
Heating Plant $19,280 55
Lighting Plant '. 5,510 00
Auditorium 26,472 21
Support of Departments (Items given in detail in
other report) 8,266 85
$162,719 47
Balance November 15, 1907 $3,272 46
Respectfully submitted,
Geo. S. Bishop, Secretary.
3 0112 105819301
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